Origin contains social features such as profile management, networking with friends with chat and direct game joining along with an in-game overlay, streaming via TwitchTV and sharing of game library and community integration with networking sites like Facebook, Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, and Nintendo Network.[3] Electronic Arts has stated that it wanted Origin to match Valve's Steam service, Origin's leading competitor, by the end of March 2012, by adding cloud game saves, auto-patching, achievements and rewards, and cross-platform releases.[4] Origin has over 50 million registered users.[5]

The Origin store allows users to browse and purchase games for full price from Electronic Arts' catalogs. Instead of receiving a box, disc, or even CD key, purchased software is immediately attached to the user's Origin account and is to be downloaded with the corresponding Origin client.

Origin guarantees download availability forever after purchase,[6] and there is no limit to the number of times a game can be downloaded.

Users may also add certain EA games to their Origin account by using CD keys from retail copies, and digital copies obtained from other digital distribution services. However, the addition of retail keys to Origin is restricted to games from 2009 onwards and older keys will not work even if the game is available on Origin, unless user contacts customer support.[citation needed]

The Origin client is self-updating software that allows users to download games, expansion packs, content booster packs and patches from Electronic Arts. It shows the status of components available. The Origin client is designed to be similar to its competitor, Steam. The Origin In Game overlay client can be disabled while playing games. The client also features chat features such as a Friends List and a group chat options (implemented in version 9.3). Client and download performance has been patched and improved over the past several updates.[7]

Electronic Arts also plans to launch the Origin platform for mobile devices (such as iOS devices) and achievements can be synced across both platforms. Scrabble Network will be incorporated into Origin Mobile. These services will be free of charge.[8]

EA released a subscription service for accessing and playing their games on PC in 2016. Users can choose between paying a monthly or yearly subscription to access a large collection of EA titles (known as The Vault). Origin Access subscribers also get a 10% discount on all Origin purchases. [9]

EA Downloader was launched in late 2005.[10] It was replaced by EA Link in November 2006, adding trailers, demos and special content to the content delivery service. In September 2007, it was once again replaced by the combination of EA Store and EA Download Manager.[11] Users purchase from the EA Store website and use the downloadable EADM client to download their games.[12] Games bought via EA Link were downloadable using the EA Download Manager.[13] The store and client was reopened under the Origin name on June 3, 2011.[citation needed]

Shortly after the launch of Origin, Crysis 2 was pulled from Steam and appeared on EA's website with an "only on Origin" claim, though it remained available on other distribution services.[16][17] EA has since stated that Valve removed Crysis 2 due to imposed "business terms" and that "this was not an EA decision or the result of any action by EA."[18]

More recently, Crysis 2: Maximum Edition (a re-release of Crysis 2 with all the DLCs) has been released on Steam, matching EA's story about pulling Crysis 2 due to DLC restraints.[19] EA has confirmed that Battlefield 3 would not be available through Steam.[20] The game is currently available for purchase on other non-Origin services such as GameFly,[21]Green Man Gaming[22] or GamersGate, but the Origin client must be used regardless of through which service the game was purchased.[23]

There have been several instances of EA enforcing such bans for what critics argue are comparatively minor infractions, such as making rude comments in EA or BioWare's official forums or in chat.

During March 2011, a user named "Arno" was banned for allegedly making the comment "Have you sold your souls to the EA devil?" Arno's account was banned for 72 hours which prevented him from playing any of his Origin games.[24] After reporting on the details of the incident, website Rock, Paper, Shotgun received a statement from EA saying that Arno's account ban was a mistake, and that future violations on the forums would not interfere with Origin users' access to their games.[25]

Later during October and November 2011, one user was banned for posting about teabagging dead players. Another user received a 72-hour account suspension for posting a link to his own network troubleshooting guide in the EA forums. EA interpreted this as a "commercial" link, even though the same link had been posted elsewhere in the forums, and EA's own corporate support site and FAQ. One user was permanently banned for submitting a forum post containing the portmanteau "e-peen," which is slang for "electronic penis."[26]

EA has been criticized for not encrypting Origin’s XMPP chat functionality, which is available in Origin and in Origin powered games. Unencrypted data includes account numbers, session tokens, as well as the message contents itself. With this type of data, user accounts might get compromised. Innocent chats in a war-game-universe may be misconstrued for terrorism and other sinister activities from the perspective of anyone intercepting them such as the NSA.[27]

Origin's end-user license agreement (EULA) gives EA permission to collect information about users' computers regardless of its relation to the Origin program itself, including "application usage (including but not limited to successful installation and/or removal), software, software usage and peripheral hardware."[28] Initially, the EULA also contained a passage permitting EA to more explicitly monitor activity as well as to edit or remove material at their discretion.[29] A report by the news magazine Der Spiegel covered the allegations.[30][31] In response to the controversy, EA issued a statement claiming they "do not have access to information such as pictures, documents or personal data, which have nothing to do with the execution of the Origin program on the system of the player, neither will they be collected by us."[32] EA also added a sentence to the EULA stating that they would not "use spyware or install spyware on users' machines," though users must still consent to allowing EA to collect information about their computers.[33]

According to reports in German newspapers, the German version of Origin's EULA violates several German laws, mainly laws protecting consumers and users' privacy.[30][34] According to Thomas Hoeren, a judge and professor for information, telecommunication and media law at the University of Münster, the German version of the EULA is a direct translation of the original without any modifications and its clauses are "null and void".[30]

^"Footnote on EA Link's website". Electronic Arts. Archived from the original on March 9, 2009. Retrieved August 30, 2012. All your EA Link games will continue to work and can be downloaded again at any time using the new EA Download Manager